


Michael: Beginning of the End

by slaysvamps



Series: Las Vegas After Dark [5]
Category: World of Darkness (Games)
Genre: F/M, Vampire: The Masquerade - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-12
Updated: 2019-08-12
Packaged: 2020-08-19 14:50:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 654
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20211556
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/slaysvamps/pseuds/slaysvamps
Summary: Michael confronts Antonio about Brenda's embrace.





	Michael: Beginning of the End

_But in my heart now I know_  
_That is only the beginning of the end_  
_ BBMak – The Beginning_

ANTONIO MORENO WAS IN the library when Michael came downstairs. He held a wineglass in his hand but even from the doorway Michael could smell the blood it held. Antonio was looking broodingly into the fire, but Michael didn’t hesitate to break his concentration.

“Why?” he asked, his voice nearly vibrating with the rage that burned inside of him. Antonio had betrayed Michael, betrayed their friendship. He didn’t understand why his friend had done what he knew Michael would never do, unless…. were Antonio and Brenda involved in some way? Romantically?

“It was what she wanted,” Antonio answered, never looking up from the fire that held his attention.

Michael stepped into the room and closed the door with a firm hand. “You knew that it was the last thing I wanted for her,” he shot back. “Why did you do it?”

Swirling the dark fragrant liquid in his glass, Antonio replied, “Humanity is fleeting. Once it is gone it can never be regained. This is true for all of us, Michael, even you.”

Of all the things Michael had expected to hear, this wasn’t one of them. As he dropped into the nearest chair Michael wondered if Antonio had read his thoughts to know what he would never have said aloud. How had he known that Michael was seeking to gain back his humanity? “You knew?”

For the first time, Antonio looked up at the man he had adopted as his own childe. “Fairy Tales are for fools and children. We are neither.”

“You are a fool,” Michael barked. “It was real. I could have done it. Aniet said—”

“Her clan are liars and thieves,” Antonio dismissed with a wave of his glass. “They take in deceit with their sire’s vitae. We should have destroyed the last of them long ago.”

Michael had known of the animosity between Antonio’s clan and the Salubri, but he had never believed that his adopted sire would want to destroy the only chance he had at happiness.

“Do you hate me so much, old man?” he whispered.

Antonio looked at him in surprise. “You think I hate you because I embraced your woman?” he demanded. “Because I gave her what she wanted?”

“You have destroyed the only chance I had to be human again,” he replied, fighting the anger that even now demanded to be let loose.

“I have destroyed nothing,” Antonio replied coolly. “If you want, go out and seek your Aniet. Listen to her fairy tales and find out if she can make you a human again.”

His sarcasm did not make Michael feel any better. He’d known for months that Brenda had wanted to be like him, and now she would never want to become human again. He hadn’t realized that he’d spoken aloud until Antonio answered him.

“We are not speaking of Brenda,” he murmured. “We are speaking of you. Does your humanity mean nothing without her?”

Without Brenda, nothing meant anything, but Michael wasn’t about to admit it. He stared broodingly into the flames, wondering how he could face her knowing she was as damned as he was.

“It may seem as if I’ve betrayed you,” Antonio continued after a moment. “I have not. I have simply helped you to choose between fairy tales and reality. Brenda loves you. Accept what is and be happy.”

“You have done me no favors, old man,” Michael growled, but sighed and rose to his feet. “But I know that you had my best intentions at heart. I need time. Perhaps I will come to Vegas soon and talk to Brenda.”

“She will not understand your absence,” Antonio warned him, “but I will do what I can to smooth the way.”

Michael nodded, then gave a short bow. “Until then,” he said before turning and walking out the door.

**Author's Note:**

> My gaming group has always played fast and loose with the White Wolf rules, including lots of things we see in various TV shows, movies and books. We were playing mostly in the late 1990s and early 2000s so we use/used the editions available at that time. 
> 
> We also threw all the 'By Night' rules out of the window and created our own rulers in our cities. Some of the cannon White Wolf characters may show up from time to time, but don't expect them to be like the books. 
> 
> I'll be separating these stories both by character and by city, so some stories may be listed under multiple Series under my profile here on AO3. 
> 
> If you're interested in learning more about our world 'After Dark' please visit my website at www.whendarknessfalls.net.


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